european // ONEYNG

nine

I avoided anyone and everyone for the following days. I needed, desperately, to work on animating. It was what I had moved back to LA for and I knew I wouldn't ruin my plans for some boy. No matter how much of a good boy he was. I spent day in and day out putting together a storyboard and script, I had even emailed past Newgrounds friends. I was proud of how much I accomplished in a week of cutting everyone off. I had hardly even spoke to Todd, outside of him bringing me orange slices every now and again, just so I didn't starve. It gave him anxiety after I told him about when Zach, psychicpebbles, hadn't eaten for four days once.

"You know," Todd stood in the doorway, "everyone's worried about you, ya' didn't tell anyone you were gonna' be busy."

"I didn't think they'd care." I continued sketching out the very rough character designs.

I heard Todd audibly sigh, "they do. Arin came by and dropped something off earlier while you were asleep."

"Yeah, he's a pretty cool dude."

"Chris came by too," Todd added.

"What'd he say?" I spun my chair around and quizzed, now suddenly more interested than I was before.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Todd replied with an almost physical entity of sass accompanying him. "Maybe if you hang out with us, I'll tell you."

"Beat it, gaylord, I'm busy," I rolled my eyes, spun back around, and continued working.

"He wanted to hang out, I guess I'll tell him no."

"Yeah, you better," I shook my head and turned to him, "why can't you just accept that I'm busy? This stuff takes a while. Get used to it."

"I don't want to 'get used to it' I want to hang out with my friend before she moves out!" Todd defended himself, and I felt empathetic. I felt this way before I moved out of my parents' house and wanted to socialise with my sister. I stood up and stretched. Todd grew excited, "Are you going to hang out with us?"

"No," I scoffed, "I'm going to ask Chris' help, thank Arin, and then go back to animating. I love you, Todd, I really do, but I need to get this done."

His face dropped, "hope you don't plan on going out now since your friends you love more than me are out there. I'll tell them." Todd stated, with such a lack of emotion that I almost felt his anger spiritually. I felt horrible hearing that, since Todd was my best friend since the beginning, and though I knew I was in the wrong, I knew I need not apologise. He had to accept that from here on out, I would be busier than I ever were.

   Arin and Dan were in the living area, chatting up Paul and eating off the charcuterie he and Todd had made. Arin saw me first, and furrowed his eyebrows at the sight.

   "What in the fuck happened to you?" Arin winced, "Jesus Christ, you look like a corpse."

   "How you keep Suzy is beyond me," I yawned, and waved hello to Dan. "I've been working on an animation. Check it out, I've got the opening 30 seconds done."

   "No shit? What are you animating?" Dan asked, much of his nature, he was always a very excitable person.

   I gave a slight smile, "check it out, my storyboard is in there, too."

   "I came over here to make fun of you and Chris, but I think I'd feel bad if I do." Arin told me as he came past me.

   When they walked away from me, I exhaled whatever was left in my lungs. I felt so tired, and so hungry and hadn't even noticed until the two people who had energy snaked into Todd's apartment. I had no idea how hard I was working myself, I slept about 2 hours a day and ate orange slices alone. Perhaps, and only if I were asked to, I would hang out with someone for a night. Just to get out of the house.

   "You best slow down," Paul spoke from the wet bar, "you'll work yourself to death. Todd's heartbroken you don't want to talk to him."

   I was tired to the point I could barely keep my eyes open. I replied rather softly, "I'm sorry he feels that way. I love him."

   "I do too," he proclaimed, "that's why I'm telling you. I want him to be happy, and, Christ, you look terrible."

   "Be glad you're gay, you'd never keep a woman either," I told him, referencing what I said to Arin earlier. I leaned against the back of the couch, and waited for Arin and Dan to come back out.

   Arin walked out first, he had a book bag on I hadn't noticed beforehand, and it made me wonder why the fuck he needed a book bag. I assumed it was for his sketchbooks.

   "There's no audio," he told me promptly, as if I didn't know that. I had to get Mick and Zach to cooperate with me and lend me some silly voices, so I was more concerned with most everything else. I nodded and shrugged. "Are you going to do it yourself?"

   "God no," I huffed, "never have, never will. I'm talking to people now. Hopefully, it turns out well."

   A half hour rolled around, and they were on their way. I forgot to check what Arin dropped off until he had already left the premises. Paul brought it to me, seeing as how Todd wanted nothing to do with me until he cooled down. It was a digital drawing, very clearly was it that Arin drew the picture.

   It was of me! Man, was I happy! I put it on the front of my sketchbook, I loved it. I loved that I was in a cute anime pose, despite never watching anime, nor having a draw to anime. Having friends like Arin made me grateful for friends at all.

   So, I apologised to Todd, and we shared a Beef O'Brady's wing basket.